Examining the Examinees
by sehellys
Summary: ON HIATUS:: shortly before the chuninexams all genin teams are send on a new mission to test their skill and abilities. SasuSaku InoShika NaruHina AnKashi AsuKure
1. the mission

Alright this is the first fanfiction I publish, ever! And it's the answer to a challenge from my little sister fire.elve (hugs). Please note that Naruto is my favourite manga but not by all means my favourite thing to write ff about, so please don't flame me if it's not too good, alright? And if you like it just leave a review, pretty please?

- alright enough of me here you go, read and enjoy!

**examing the examinees**

It was a beautiful day, the clouds were sliding lazily across the sky and the sun shone warm and happy onto the village of konoha and its inhabitants.

The Sandaime Hokage took a deep drag of his pipe, musing about the younger of his charges. To be precise he was musing about the genin that had graduated in Konoha during the last two years, so many of them talented beyond the average. He could picture them training outside, or gazing at the clouds, walkking the dog, eating Ramen or collecting bugs. But his concern lay not with what they were doing today but rather with what they might be doing in one week's time.

The looming presence of the chunin-exam came ever nearer and with it spiked the fear he felt for the safety of the young prodigies. Shaking his head he lay his pipe aside and thought about the source of his overprotectiveness. Every year he feared for the Genins that would participate in the exam, and as sad as it was, every year some of them did not return. And this year would be no difference.

He had always felt a special connection to this year's genin and knew their responsible jounin well enough to anticipate the participation of the Genin in this exam, even though they were only rookies. But knowing that it was to come didn't make agreeing any easier. And the fact that this year's exam would be held in Konoha and he therefore knew most of the other realms' ninjas and their abilities was not exactly calming his nerves either. Most of them could only be described as dangerous, and the Hokage just didn't know if his teams were prepared to fight against so highly advanced opponents.

He knew that the Genins would happily agree to participate in the matches, their Jounin would say they were ready to do so and still that would not ease hie troubled heart. He just couldn't bring himself to let rookies join the exam, it hadn't happened in five years, and he was worried for them, as he was worried for the one year older team of Maito Gai.

No, he had to see for himself if his little charges were prepared for this challenge. The Third took one of the many papers that piled up on his desk and took a loong look at it. He had originally planned this mission for some chunin, but it would fit his purpose perfectly. He would send Konoha's genin teams to retrieve a kunai that had gotten into the hands of some bandits some time ago.

Yes, he mused, it was about time that that kunai returned home. The Sandaime Hokage lost himself momentarily in memories of a time long past, concerning the weapon and its former owner, but he was quick to redirect his thoughts to the present. The genin and their team-leaders would reatrieve the kunai, he had no doubt about that. But he wouldn't forget what he originally intended with sending them on this mission.

He would send the teams, unknowingly and seperately on the same mission, and let them be watched by a few available shinobi, who would monitor their progress and would report to him the abilities and the preparedness of his youngest ninja. If they found them fit to join the exam, then he would agree with that and let them participate, without having to worry overly much. At least he hoped that that would be enough to ease hgis troubled mind.

Smiling slightly he rose from his seat, taking and relighting his pipe while he did so, and walked over to the window to watch the warm summer morning again. His eagle was already flying across the sky, alerting the ninjas he wanted to guard and watch the geninteams of the fact that he had a new mission for them.

- - ' - -

"You will follow them unnoticed and report to me after the mission. And of course if problems should arise you'll help them." The Sandaime Hokage regarded the four ninja that were assembled in his office closely. He could tell that some of them didn't share his view concerning the necessity of their task, but they would abide to his wishes, if only because they had nothing else to de, or because he was the Hokage.

However he had complete faith in them, fondly he remembered them from when they were younger, the times of their chunin-exams, of their genin-teams, he was proud of all of them. He still saw them as his charges but he knew that they would do well in any situation he could think of.

Two of them were former ANBU and now special jounin, the other two were the most promising chunin konoha had at the moment. He would gladly lay the protection of Konohas genin offspring in their hands.

"Is everything understood?", he asked, giving them as stern a look as he could muster, "Then I will now assign you to the teams you'll monitor: Anko you will look after team seven, Genma you'll take team eight, Izumo team ten and Kotetsu, you will look after Gai's team!"

The Hokage pointedly ignored the despairing look Kotetsu threw in Izumo's direction, pleading silently to exchange duties, he also ignored the sarcastic grin that he received as an answer and dismissed the four shinobi. They would wait at the city walls for their assigned teams to leave all he had to do was tell those teams of their new mission. The genin and their sensei would come by to pick up new missions later in the morning anyway.

- - ' - -

"A kunai?", a certain blonde fox-boy yelled, accusation in his voice, "what can be so special about a kunai?" Naruto was once more being more trouble than he wass worth, as he feared that another boring mission would be added to their schedule. The Hokage sighed deeply, he would once again have to convince this troubling student of the importance of each and every mission. And of the importance of this one.

"The kunai belongs to Konoha, it bears great value and and historical worth", the Sansaime explained patiently, "and it is momentarily in the hands of a band of bandits, who have also been troubling a few merchsants lately. You are to retrieve the kunai and to … dishearten the bandits."

This made the blonde shinobi liten more closely, bandits sounded like a challenge. Naruto grinned like a maniac ready to leave immediately and show some unsuspecting bandits his best moves. At least he was silent for now. Sasuke and Sakura remained silent, in their minds already processing the information the Hokage had given them, as their sensei took the scroll with the more detailed instructions from the old shinobi.

"You will know the kunai when you see it", Konoha's leader informed them and let them be dismissed.

When they walked down the hall from the Hokage's office, Naruto was already jumping with joy, chattering incessantly about the bandits he'd beat up and how he would definitely best Sasuke this time. Sakura was walking behind him right next to Sasuke who had stuffed his hands in his pockets and wore his usual indifferent expression. Their sensei walked behind them, watchin his team with interest and a sharp eye.

On their way out they met team ten, and were greeted with brief nods, except for Naruto who was greeted by Ino's rather solid fist after shouting "Trio-no-baka" at seeing them. Kakashi and Asuma shook their head at their students antics and went on their ways.

The copy ninja told his team to meet at the city gate as soon as possible and well prepared for their mission, and vanished in a cloud of smoke.

- - ' - -

"Ah, Asuma, I've been waiting for you." The Hokage adressed team ten's leader as they entered his office, "Here is your next mission, retrieve a kunai of great historical worth from a band of bandits, the further details are in this scroll", with that he handed Asuma the scroll. The Hokage studied the genin thoughtfully, then added: "This is your first C-rank mission, so please be careful."

The shinobi before him confirmed his words and the willingness to complete this mission successfulls with a resolved nod, and left his office. The Sandaime took a moments time to to light his pipe and enjoy the rustic scent of his tobacco. Now all he had to do was send Kurenai's and Gai's team out, too and then wait for their return. He would get the kunai back and also receive the much needed information if the genin teams were indeed ready for a challenge like the chunin-exam.

- - ' - -

"Alright", Kotetsu said straightening up. He smiled at the two jounin beside him halfheartedy and was gone to follow Maito Gai's team, that hadjust passed the city gates. Izumo was already gone, his assigned team being the first to leave and now only Genma and Anko remained, sitting on the roof and waiting to go.

Slightly amused they observed Kakashi's pupüils, who had been standing near the city gates for well above a half hour by now and were getting a little noisy. Or rather the blonde fox-boy was, he was clamouring about punctuality in general and his sensei's lack of it in special and was getting more rowdy by the minute. His pink haired team mate was trying to get him to shut up, though, Anko would bet, silently she was agreeing with Naruto.

Anko felt pretty much the same, she had to sit on this rotten roof, until the silver haired jounin would have the good grace to appear, and she felt cold and uncomfortable. She scanned the horizon experimentally and sighed audibly when she became aware of the dark clouds gathering there, promising rain in the very near future.

Genma regarded her with a quizzical look at hearing her sigh, but turned it into a teasing grin after seeing her expression. "Now now, come on Anko, don't be so melodramatic, I know you can't wait to observe Kakashi, err.. I mean his team.", he said sounding not a bit as if he had misspoken. The look she regarded him with could only be described as murderous, but Genma just grinned a little wider – almost devious.

"You just be careful that you don't watch Kurenai too closely, Genma, or Asuma might just pay you a visit", now she was smiling all too sweetly at him, knowing of the fact that that was all he intended to do on this mission, that he regarded as being "altogether too boring". Genma just had a weak spot when it came to women.

He looked at her doubtfully, chewing on his senbon, "You really think there is something going on between the two? I know that you're Kurenai's closest friend, but as far as I know, she has been denying any such thing quite vehemently. Besides they'll never know I was there to watch her team."

"Ah, but Genma she never denied it, she was just conspiciously fast at changing the topic when I asked her", she smiled knowingly, Kurenai was just too stubborn for her own good. "And", she added smugly, "don't get too selfconscious Genma, she's got good senses and as well Hyuga Hinata as that Inuzuka boy on her team. You better watch out that they don't uncover you before you even leave the city borders."

Genma looked almost hurt as he gave her an unbelieving look, what did she think he was? Stupid? He switched his toothpick to the left corner of his mouth and mumbled: "Yeah, whatever!"

Anko heard him of course, and didn't fall for his pitiable expression. Grinning wickedly instead, she announced: "Speaking of the devil, there they come, you better be careful now Genma." She liked this banterings with her fellow jounin, especially when she was at the winning end of their teasings like this time. He waved her good-bye and was gone in the blink of an eye, wishing her "a happy time waiting" before doing so.

Anko looked down at the three genin of team seven, waiting more or less patiently for their sensei, and sighed audibly once more. Now she was all alone on this godforsaken roof, with noone to annoy and the most unpunctual ninja ever to wait for, could this get any worse? As if on cue the first drops of light rain brushed her cheek and answered her silent question. Anko cursed passionately under her breath, she just had to ask!

It wasn't until an hour later that Kakashi finally showed up, with one of his usual completely stupid excuses that noone ever believed anyway. His team reacted just as Anko had expected, the Uchiha kid just stepped away from the wall and towards the city gate, ready to go, while Naruto and Sakura screamed in slightly differing levels of volume curses, accusations and threats at their sensei. This lighted Anko's mood a little and she had to grin at the silverhaired ninja that scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

'Serves you right Kakashi, leaving everyone waiting in the rain like that', she mused darkly, though she had already parted with the more drastic plans of extracting revenge for the displeasure she'd had to endure on the roof top.

Team seven left the village under the delightful screams of Naruto and the watchful eye of Mitarashi Anko. She was careful to keep her distance, knowing very well of the alertness and brilliant senses of Hatake Kakashi. She couldn't help but be amazed, he was incredible and, she added in her thoughts, handsome. Shaking her head she wondered if Genma had been right and she was indeed happy to be guarding team seven out of all genin teams. Well she sure was happy that she didn't have to watch over Gai's team, she concluded and refocused on following the genins and their sensei through the forest.

Four genin teams were now in these woods, scrutinized closely by four fellow shinobi, and every step they took brought them closer to their mission's goal and the possibility to join the chunin-exam.

TBC

This is the first ff I've ever posted so please read and review! -


	2. six parties in the forest

**A/N: sorry for the long wait, life has been hard and tough (failing exams and stuff) but I finally managed this, and I'd like to say thanks to everyone who reviewed, and fire.elve this is for you! I just hope it'll cheer you up a bit, after you're exams.**

Examining the examinees

chapter 2: six parties in the forest

Deeper within the forest, in a place that didn't seem quite as green and cheerful as the rest of the forest but was instead overshadowed by an evil menace, a group of six shinobi made their way towards Konoha. A cloud of darkness seemed to follow their every move. 

They were ninja from Oto, officially on their way to participate in the chunin-exams, but indeed they carried a darker intent. Orochimaru was their leader, formerly a Sannin from Konoha had he founded his own ninja village and felt nothing now but deep hatred for his former home. Accompanying him were were the genin that he'd let join in the exam, his capable right-hand Kabuto and Kimimaro, a ninja-genious and fiercely loyal to his leader. And even though an evil illness was already spreading through Kimimaro's system, he wouldn't be deterred from joining Orochimaru on this quest.

The Otonin's leader raised a hand to call for a rest and his shinobi stopped immediately and crouched down. They were perfectly trained, all of them, and knew that they could never let their guard down, although they were guests in Hi no Kuni. Pulling some rations from their backpacks, they ate quickly and in silence.

Kabuto was sitting a bit closer to Kimimaro, as usual, his healer instincts telling him about the pain the other felt, caused by his illness. Orochimaru joined their position and talked quietly to his best medi-nin. They had a plan that their young charges didn't necessarily need to know about. Furthermore was Kabuto his spy within the village of Konoha and had already been gone for almost too long, he had to return to the village immediately before any suspicions would arise.

Nodding in understanding the shinobi with the glasses was gone immediately. He would stealthily move away from the group of Otonin, then head back to Konoha when he approached it from the other side, this would take him some time, but it always paid to be careful. Better safe than sorry.

Back in the clearing Orochimaru turned around from looking at the space where Kabuto had vanished to approach his genin. He adressed insert name here, their inofficial leader: "We've arrived here a week early for a reason, as you know. Now is the time to tell you of that reason and your next mission. Listen carefully", he observed them darkly, never betraying any emotion while talking to his subordinates.

"The other realms' genin will travel through these woods and I want you to observe them for me. As soon as you come across a team you will report to me. Do not care about Konoha's teams though, we will deal with them in the exam. Now go and do my bidding." He said, using the tone that was, like so many other things about him, just like a serpent. And he watched them vanish into the greens of the surrounding forest as well.

They were mere tools to him, useful but dispensible. What he really needed were extraordinarily skilled shinobi to serve him and -eventually- to prolong his lifespan. Ninja like Kimimaro before he was struck by that illness, or like his failed last and promising newest aim – the survivors of Konoha's Uchiha clan

He turned around to Kimimaro, "We will await their return here, go scout the perimeter Kimimaro." He regarded his subordinate a while longer and touched his cheek lightly, "you are indeed the most wonderful shinobi I have ever seen, Kimimaro-san, you are doing me proud."

"Thank you Orochimaru-sama." The white haired shinobi was genuinely happy about the praise he had received from the person that mattered the world to him, and was gone immediately to do his masters biddings and scout their surroundings.

With that Orochimaru was left alone in the clearing, where he could muse once more about his dark plan of destroying Konoha and betraying his supposed allies – the shinobi of Sunagakure. But before that he had to find out who or what the strange presence was, that he could feel following him from time to time.

- - ' - -

Team ten was walking through the forest at a relaxed pace, or so it seemed. Indeed they were making good progress and yet managed to safe their strength for a time when it might be desperately needed. They were on guard, always ready to react to an ambush if the need should arise, although they were still within the borders of Hi no Kuni and close to Konohagakure where no enemy should meet them. But you just never knew.

Sarutobi Asuma was proud of the alertness he recognized in his students, a sign that they, indeed, were developing. He had great faith in their abilities, if not in their discipline.

For indeed Ino and Chouji were already discussing eating habits again, trying constantly to drag Shikamaru in on the conversation, each on their respective sides of course. But their teammate, being level-headed as he was, just sighed audibly from time to time and refused to be caught in between the temper of his two teammates.

Still, despite their bantering they didn't let their guard down and when their sensei gestured them for silence, they complied immediately. It was strill half a day's march to the bandit's base but that didn't mean that they wouldn't meet any sentries out here.

- - ' - -

Somewhere, relatively far behind them, Team seven was strolling through the woods, not bantering among themselves but equally noisy, if not worse. Naruto was, all by himself, quite capable of alarming every opponent in the forest of his nearing presence, and he was demonstrating that ability very impressively right now.

Being this close to the citys's gates and this far from the bandits lair his sensei let him be. He knew that Sakura would eventually put an end to his incessant babble. As well as he knew that Naruto would get serious and cvoncentrated as soon as the need arose, he was good enough a ninja to understand the need of silence and stealth and to know when it was needed. Indeed Kakashi's whole team had developed an acute sense for danger and they disposed of the abilities to react to whatever threatened them. It seemed almost unreal how his team of noisy uncoorperating ninjas had molded into a team of highly skilled genin. Kakashi couldn't help but feel a connection to each and everyone of them.

The silver haired jounin looked at the gloomy looking avenger, who still ahdn't realized that just maybe he cared more for his teammembers than his self-appointed mission of hate. His look shifted to the pinkhaired kunoichi, who had just hit her blonde teammember across the head and was now scolding him sternly, just as predicted. Her abilities to control chakra were getting better with every passing day and Kakshi knew that one day, if trained accordingly, she would make a great gen-jutsu or medical specialist. And, he mused silently, she had great inflöuence on the whole team, the looks she threw Sasuke were probably one of the main reasons that he didn't seem as dark and inapproachable as when they had first met. That left only the blonde fox-boy, who was pouting once more, since he was forbidden to scream the whole forest awake. Large potential still slumbered within him and Kakshi had to assess again that he was indeed progressing with amazing speed, then again he had been on the lowest level to begin with.

The jounin picked up his pace, wanting to reach a sheltered place for the night not too far away from the bandits' nest, so that they would be able to scout the perimeter and plan the infiltration of the base, first thing next morning.

- - ' - -

The white haired shinobi took a deep breath and set down heavily on a log. He was one of the legendary san-nin of Konoha, curtrently on the pursuit of his former teammember, the dark-haired ninja who was nowmore the ruler of his own small ninja village – Otogakure. He had been following Orochimaru for months now, monitopring his general moves, like his leaving of the roganisation akatsuki some time ago and the troubling mission that led him towards Konohagakure now.

Jiraya was already getting second thoughts about this, maybe Tsunade had been right and Orochimaru was indeed just accompanying his team to the exam. He hadn't made many suspicious moves in the near past. Furthermore, the longer he followed the other sannin, the greater became the risk of bewing discovered. He had realized that he had trespassed into the area where he could be felt by Orochimaru a little more often of late. He was not only probably oversuspicioius but getting more and more careless.

Jiraya noticed that he was sitting on something rather uncomfortable and, checking out what it was, he found his writing pad in his pocket. He looked at it long and thoughtfully, yes, he also had to finish his newest book, he knew that his fandom was waiting for it eagerly. Grinning pervertedly and turning a conspiciously red colour, he stuffed the pad back in his pocket. It was decided, he would take a break, make a vacation to forget about this troublesome snake-guy and see the world a little more optimistically for a while.

Still, he would stay close to Konoha – just in case. Luckily he knew just the right place to spend his vacation. Somewhere he could also do the research for his new book – the hot springs resort close to the village. Grinning like mad, he pictured the research before his mental eye as he walked through the forest on a more leisurted pace than he'd used in months.

- - ' - -

Yuhi Kurenai was hurrying through the forest, her students at her heels. They were a great team she observed. Kiba keeping up with her, adding his and Akamaru's nose to her own senses to spy any that might come at them. Shino was close behind him, and even though he looked as unmoved as ever, he was on alert, his bugs always ready to follow his commands and defend the whole team. Young, shy Hinata brought up the rear, she was quiet and seemed uncertain, yet she was completely concentrated on their surroundings. Though not activated she could use her byakugan to scan the area behind them. It was a pity Kurenai thought, that the young had a lot less faith in her own abilities than her teammates, who knew her strength and valued her as a friend.

Yes, the sensei of team eight thought, her team would do good on this mission, and in the future, because they were just that – a team.

- - ' - -

The team of Maito gai was also walking these woods, being altogether a lot more disciplined than the younger genin teams. Using the stealth and teamwork they had aquired during the last year of their training, they paced the forest ground quietly. No broken twigs or trampled leaves spoke of their passing. And still they travelled at a high pace, occasionaly leaving the ground and taking to the trees instead, rushing through the broad limbs of of Konoha's enormous trees, blending into their green surroundings so completely that they wouldn't be spotted by the eyes of a normal human being. As they drew nearere to their destination they slowed down a bit. There would be no need to rush things now, storming the bandits' base in the middle of the night would not be to their advantage. They would set up camp in the perimeter of the wood surrounding and shrouding the camp of their opponents. Though they had the element of surprise on their side, it always payed to be cautious. Their sensei made them stop and set up campo, while he prepared dinner and the training plan for his subordinates.

Especially the latter was greeted by extreme enthusiasm: "Waah, Arigatou, Gai-sensei! I will immediately start training!", and with that Roclk Lee stormed off towards a nearby clearing where he couold train without disturbing the camp.

"That's right, Lee! That's the spirit of youth!", his sensei called after him, his white teeth flashing while he performed his 'good guy pose', heedless of the fact that Lee was long gonme and all he received from his other students were strange looks – the usual. He ushered them over to the clearing to train as well and sat down to observe their progress till late in the night.

**A/N: alright you all know that authors love reviews and that they indeed write a lkot faster when they get them, so pretty please push that little purple button and tell me what you think!**


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